I. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to methods and systems for managing the transportation of stock, including the management of the movement of stock to and from a warehouse yard or from one warehouse or storage facility to another. More particularly, the invention relates to methods and systems for managing stock transportation and providing visibility of the location of stock, including during the placement of the stock in a warehouse yard or during its transport from one location to another.
II. Background Information
A typical warehouse includes storage areas for storing stock. Such storage areas may include rows of shelves that accommodate a large number of storage bins. The storage bins on each shelf are usually labeled, as are the rows, for ease of identification. By knowing the relevant row and bin information, it is possible for warehouse workers to locate stock in the warehouse. In such cases, the row and bin of the desired stock is used like an address to locate the stock.
During normal warehouse operations, there can be many requests for different stock items each day. In addition, stock is often moved from one location in the warehouse to another for a variety of reasons. For example, it may be necessary to move stock from one bin location to another to better organize the stock, to locate certain stock in an area for inspection, and/or to prepare the stock for shipment outside of the warehouse.
Typically, requests to move stock are issued as transfer orders. When a warehouse worker is given a transfer order, the worker must first locate the desired stock. A transfer order to transfer stock to a new location usually includes the stock's storage location, which is based on row and bin information retrieved from, for example, a computerized inventory system. Such a system maintains location information describing where stock is located in the warehouse.
After receiving the transfer order, a warehouse worker will determine the location of the stock and travel to that location using the stock's row and bin information. The particular stock requested in the transfer order is then identified.
Once the worker has located the stock, the worker may need to use a resource, such as a forklift, to transport the stock to its new location. Upon moving the stock from its current location, the worker may use a scanner to scan a bar code or radio frequency identification (RFID) on the bin to confirm the pickup of the piece(s) of stock. Typically, the worker will use a scanner to scan a bar code or RFID located on the stock itself and a bar code or RFID located on the bin when picking up the stock. Once the worker has scanned these items, the information is transmitted and a database in the computerized inventory system is updated to indicate that the particular stock is no longer located in the bin.
Once the stock arrives at its new location, the worker may use the scanner to update the stock's location in the warehouse. For example, the worker may accomplish this by scanning the bar code or RFID located on the stock and scanning the bar code or RFID associated with the stock's new bin location. As a consequence, the stock inventory database is updated to indicate that the moved stock is now located in its new bin location in the warehouse.
In addition, stock is often moved to or from a warehouse yard or from one warehouse or storage facility to another. For example, where the storage capacity of a warehouse is a limiting factor, the warehouse yard may be used to provide additional storage capacity. In such cases, a warehouse manager may wish to post stock as received as soon as a vehicle transporting the stock is checked into the yard. Similarly, it may be desirable to post stock when a check-out is made of the transport vehicle from the yard.
In order to track and manage stock in the yard, a warehouse manager needs shipping and receiving visibility. To accomplish this, the warehouse manager may utilize different inventory management systems (e.g., a warehouse internal system and a yard specific system). However, the use of such systems can be time consuming and lead to errors. Furthermore, stock management can become more difficult in cases where the yard is shared by more than one warehouse or where transport vehicles in the yard contain stock from different warehouses.
Shipping and receiving visibility is also required when stock is moved between warehouses or storage facilities. To move stock from a warehouse, the stock is typically loaded onto a transport vehicle such as a truck and transported to the new location. With current inventory management systems, there is little or no ability to determine where stock is located once it has left the warehouse. During transportation, it is also not possible to determine what truck the stock may be on at any given time. For example, a truck may stop at several warehouses on a route and, at each warehouse, the truck may unload certain stock, pick up additional stock, and/or continue to another warehouse.
Existing inventory management systems also suffer from other drawbacks. For example, due to the rapid and fluid environment of modern warehouses and transportation services, workers often receive instructions to change the destination of stock that has already been picked-up and is in the process of being transferred to another location. However, once the stock has been picked-up from its original location, it is not possible to determine the stock's location until it arrives at its final destination. As a result, it is often necessary to wait until the stock arrives at a warehouse and/or until an inventory database is updated before the stock can be identified and located. In a busy delivery or supply chain environment, this can result in substantial delays and inefficiencies due to the inability to rapidly locate stock and respond to urgent stock needs or change transfer orders.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for improved systems and methods for managing stock, including the ability to monitor and alter the destination of stock while it is in transit. Moreover, there is a need for methods and systems for providing visibility of the location of stock, including during its placement in a warehouse yard or during its transport between warehouses or storage facilities.